The present invention relates to the retention of earthen formations with a retaining and reinforcing mechanism made up of vertically spaced welded wire soil-reinforcing mats embedded within a formation, and face members secured to the mats to secure the formation against sloughing. In its more specific aspects, the invention is directed to an improved method and apparatus which accommodates settling of the earthen formation, without bulging of the face members. It is also concerned with an arrangement wherein the face members comprise welded wire gridworks, and a column of rock is contained in baskets to the interior of these gridworks.
The prior art relating to the present invention is exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 6,357,970 to Harold K. Hilfiker, one of the co-inventors herein, and William B. Hilfiker. That patent discloses a retaining wall comprised of L-shaped welded wire gridworks having floor sections which are embedded at vertically spaced intervals in the formation being retained and upright face sections which provide a face for the formation. In the structure of the patent, each successive soil-reinforcing mat is supported on a backing mat carried by the face section of the mat therebelow, and the backing mats are movable relative to the face sections to accommodate settlement of the retained formation, without bulging of its face. Other patents of interest to various techniques which have been provided for securing the face sections of compressible welded wire retaining walls together are William K. Hilfiker U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,505,621, 4,856,939, 5,722,799 and 5,733,072.